All instincts
by Fabs G
Summary: Remus should really listen to the wolf’s voice more often. Sirius surely does. A little fic on how Sirius and Remus got together.


**Title:** All instincts

**Author:** Fabs G

**Summary:** Remus should really listen to the wolf's voice more often. Sirius surely does. A little fic on how Sirius and Remus got together.

**Spoilers:** What are you doing reading an HP fic if you haven't read all 4 books?? Go read them now! NOW!

**Pairings:** SB/RL, James/Lily

**Rating:** PG-13

**Disclaimer**: Let's see… I don't live in the UK, I'm 21, I'm single, I'm not blonde, I don't have a kid… looks like I'm not JK Rowling… Then if I'm not her, then I don't own these characters. So why bother me??

**Notes:** Unlike some of my other fics, I didn't write Peter as absent or stupid… I figured, for *Sirius* to trust him with James' life in 1981, the guy must have had something good… sometime… somewhere… whatever. I did not make him the perfect friend because well, he isn't, but I wrote him a little more active and a little likeable (if it wouldn't be for what we all know he did) Enjoy! R/R!

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**1975: The Marauder's 5th year**

Remus sat alone in the Shrieking Shack. His emphasized sense of hearing captured the sound of Madam Pomfrey leaving: he could still hear the sound of her footsteps and the creaks the floor made beneath her. Some minutes later, when Madam Pomfrey had been too far for even Remus to hear her and probably out of the passage already, a new sound came to Remus' ears. Was Madam Pomfrey coming back? Was she mad? The change was about to begin: he could feel it. His blood had started rushing up and down madly, adrenaline was swirling in his system, the hairs of the back of his neck were standing as upright as James' hair did on a humid day. The mere idea of hurting a human being, whether friend or foe, made him sick and revolted of himself.

But what was this new sound? Remus had never heard it before, at least here. He sat on the bed, knees against his chin, his arms circling them. He stopped making any sound and went as silent as only animal prowling do… And Remus was very much an animal by this point so close to the change. The sound was still somewhat far, and downstairs, but Remus recognized them clearly. Footsteps. Three different beings. He could smell… he could smell three humans, three humans with fear and excitement, all mixed in one. The footsteps became closer, and the beings' individual scents came to him. So familiar. 

Remus knew who they were before the even made up their minds to push the door of the room open. 

"GO AWAY!" he yelled. The change was so near… they wouldn't make it on time through the tunnel. He felt the door creaking. "THE MOON'S ABOUT TO COME OUT, GO AWAY!"

The door was pushed open and revealed the excited faces of Sirius, James and Peter. "What are you thinking…" he would have liked to go further, to scold the, and to make them mad at him so they would leave, but he couldn't. The change had begun.

Normally, when his bones started getting larger and hair started sprouting from places where only skin had been before and his nuzzle came to existence, the world shut down for Remus, and nothing was more important than his curse. Not today.

Before Remus' eyes became the wolf's, three animals stood before him in the place his friends had been before. Remus' mind was still human enough to realize that it was supposedly too early for them to already accomplish the Animagi transformation, they had told him so. It wasn't possible, they couldn't have already made it. Fifteen-year-olds did not turn into Animagi by themselves. 

These three wizards, however, did.

The next morning, Remus woke up unbelievably comfortable. He was still curled up into a ball, in his usual corner over the bed, as starkers and cold as any other morning-after-the-full-moon. But somehow, it all felt different. 

Sure, he still ached here and there and blood was oozing from a long gash in his left arm, staining some black robe he assumed must be his. 

Had it been a dream? He asked himself while staring at the oozing blood. It must simply not be true. James, Sirius and Peter weren't still ready

But then he remembered the form of an impressive stag, of a small rat and… Padfoot, in his true form. Sirius had managed to be as breathtaking in his animagi form as he was as a human.

Remus was starting to wonder where the hell had that thought came from when a hand stretched itself from somewhere besides him and wrapped itself around Remus' wound. Sirius.

So it had not been a dream. 

He stared at him with a look Remus could not quite decipher and whispered "Wait" He pushed the head of a sleeping James aside (waking him up in the meantime) and grabbed the shaggy blanket from the bed. He tore a long piece and tied it around Remus' wound, making the bleeding stop. "That'll hold it until you go to madam Pomfrey" he then took the rest of the gravely mistreated blanket and wrapped it around the cold Remus.

Only then Remus realized he was naked. He managed to smile an apologetic smile at Sirius "I hadn't even realized I didn't have my robe on" 

They stared at each other an uncomfortable moment longer and Remus gingerly stood up, dragging himself to the end of the bed. He took a good look at his surroundings. Peter, or rather Wormtail, was sleeping comfortable over Remus' discarded robes, not very far from the bed. James had been sleeping sitting on the floor, using the bed as pillow, and was now waking up. Sirius himself had taken hold of the bed.

"'lo Moony" greeted James cheerfully, as if that was the most common of mornings for Remus.

He stomped his foot on the wooden floor, waking Peter up. The rat changed back to boy immediately. "What were you thinking?" said Remus, suddenly mad at them. He stared at his friends. "You risked yourselves by coming here without any idea of how my change occurred. You should have asked me first how it went, how long it took. How could you know I wasn't already changed? You have no idea what the sight of a human does to the wolf, let alone the smell… If the wolf had smelled you, no matter how big your antlers are, I could have hurt you James." He looked at his other two friends "Or you, or you"

"Moony, we've already mastered the art of animagi" said Sirius with a smirk. When he saw Remus did not reply him back with a smile or smirk, he changed his tone "We knew it. We knew that if you had already changed, we'd have to change ourselves really fast. We can do that" Sirius changed into the dog as sudden as you could snap your fingers, and then swiftly changed back "See?"

"It's a bit draining and leaves you quite starved but it can be done" said Peter, testing Remus' mood by smiling slightly. "Even me" he stretched his smile. 

Remus slumped to the floor in front of James "I guess you caught me unprepared. I thought you still needed a lot to practice."

"We wanted to give you a little surprise" said James, with mischief in his eyes "Come on, Lupin, admit it… you liked it." He said, trailing the 'i' of the 'liked' and squinting.

Remus couldn't help by smile at his three friends. "Best damn full moon since the bite"

*

One year later 

"So... are we ok?" Sirius fidgeted a hole in the curtains of his four poster bed, making it much bigger. His hands were sweaty, and his heart was beating 1,000 a minute. If he lost Moony for a stupid fight with Snape… Ok, so it had had big consequences, huge ones at that. The greasy weasel now knew about Remus' biggest secret. Still, he reminded himself that Dumbledore had made him swallow his secret, and Snape would not dare go against him.

But Remus had not talk to him for a complete week. Not even Lily, with her temper, could hold a grudge against Sirius that long. Moony had.

Remus stared at his friend, making him even more nervous. "Yes, we're ok" he nearly whispered. He felt relived to lift that weight of Sirius' shoulders, and of his own.

Sirius slumped back onto his bed and placed his hands over his face, letting out the biggest sigh Remus had ever heard from a human. Remus couldn't help but smile at him. He knew how much Sirius appreciated his friends and thanks to James, he knew how much of a hell this last week had been. 

He stood up and walked to his friend. He tapped his leg so Sirius would look at him "The wolf knows what you did. You'll have to be careful the next moon. Very."

Sirius barely lifted his head "Wait… that means I'm allowed to be with Moony? Like before?"

Remus smiled at him again "Of course you are, you daft" he stretched a hand, wanting to help Sirius up. "Come on, James and Peter will want to hear the good news"

Sirius took his hand, but instead of using it to help him prop himself up, he pulled Remus over him. Remus tried to resist the fall, but he slipped on the floor and ended on top of Sirius. Neither Remus nor Sirius knew if it had been accidental or on purpose.

They couldn't help but stare at each other, so close were their faces. Remus was about to scold Sirius for it when Sirius spoke: "I missed you"

Remus had no idea how to reply. Normally, he would have scolded Sirius, or said something funny, even tease him about the whole thing. But now, as he looked into those sky blue eyes, he found out that his voice had died a while ago. He could've stayed there forever, just bathing himself in the look Sirius was giving him, the same he was giving Sirius. 

He had barely noticed how they were getting closer to each other's faces, had barely noticed their lips had started to brush slightly when James and Peter worried. The bespectacled boy knocked at the door, and opened it just a bit. "Guys? We were worried. Can we come in?"

Both boys winced at the interruption and, quick as lighting, sprang up from the bed and answered a very quick "Yes, of course"

James and Peter entered the dorm, closing the door behind them. They took a look at their two friends. James eyed them nervously "I know we shouldn't have interrupted but... well, the friendship between our two best friends is at stake here" Like they didn't know that.

"We're fine, James" answered Sirius, still looking at Remus. What if the near-kiss had changed his mind? "Aren't we?"

Remus momentarily erased the recent event from his mind so James and Peter wouldn't get suspicious. He didn't want them knowing something even he didn't understand. "Yes, Sirius, of course we're fine" he smiled at him like if nothing had happened and place a hand on Sirius' shoulder "Still marauders, still four of them"

Their eyes lingered on each other a little while longer than necessary but James and Peter, so relived to hear the news, didn't notice…

*

Two weeks later: Morning after the full moon 

Remus woke up with a headache. He stretched his sore muscles, cracked a few bones and knuckles and sat on the bed. He looked around and noticed he was in the hospital wing. 

'Wow' he said to himself 'It's been a while since I passed out before transforming back' He tried to remember what had happen that had left him so sore, but nothing seemed to come to his mind. No matter how bad they had been, Remus remembered each and every of his full moons, so this sudden amnesia worried him.

"Moony?" James voiced called out from somewhere behind the curtains that surrounded his bed. James entered the makeshift room "James? Why are you here?" he lowered his voice "Did I pass out last night?" James only nodded "What's going on?"

James motioned for him to sit on the bed. "What do you remember from last night?"

"Curiously enough, nothing."

"Try. Use those werewolf senses of yours and try to remember something"

Remus forced his mind "I remember… changing… and… you three… no, only you and Peter…"

"That's right, Sirius was in detention. He arrived late. What else?"

"Sirius arrived… we were both in our… alter-egos…" he strained his memory even more and the most horrific of sensation and flashes of memory came back to him… Padfoot… the wolf… blood… "Oh James, what did I do to him?" He looked desperately at his friend "Please, tell me I didn't… didn't…"

"He's alive." Remus breathed relieved "He'll be fine, but he barely made it."

"Did I t-t…?" Remus didn't know what was worse: to kill your friend or curse him with this horrible life.

"No. No, as he was in his Padfoot form you did not turn him. We told Madam Pomfrey he was attacked by a hippogriff, she totally bought it." He placed a hand on his shoulder "Relax. He'll be fine"

"Where is he?"

"Right next to you" he motioned to the bed to their left.

Remus went to Sirius' bed and looked at him. He blanched.

Sirius had what looked like his left arm broken (which Madam Pomfrey had supposedly healed, but he had it in a sling) The right side of his face had nasty shades of violets and blacks all over it, and blood was oozing from his lower lip. He was asleep.

Remus moved to his friend's side, not resisting the temptation to touch the bruise in his face which, thanks to a charm, was slowly disappearing. Sirius's right hand shot up and grabbed Remus' wrists. When he saw who he was, he let go of him immediately.

"I… I have no idea why I did it." He knew they were beyond morning greetings and get well wishes "I didn't mean to hurt you. I would never hurt you" he moved his hand over Sirius' broken arm, wincing as if he felt the pain.

"I know" he simply answered "You did not hurt me. You never would. The wolf did."

"Sirius… I am the wolf…"

"Not entirely… You think it was from our little incident three weeks ago?"

"I've no idea" he sat on his friend's bedside "Give me some time… Maybe I can cast some spells or charms or maybe some of the books say something…"

"That's my Remmy, always a bookworm" smirked Sirius. Remus was too troubled to notice the 'my Remmy' but James surely did. From behind Moony, he mouthed the words to Sirius, who only shrugged.

Remus smiled a sad smile. "I'm so sorry. I can barely remember it"

"Remember what, Mr. Lupin?" said a voice behind them. Madam Pomfrey had arrived, two steaming cups of potion in her hands. "Take this you two." 

"Uhh- nothing important" Remus and James helped Sirius sat up and while Remus took his potion, James helped Sirius take his 

"Bleargh. That was horrid. What is it?" asked Sirius

"Heals any internal injuries you may have" answered Remus automatically before Madam Pomfrey even got a chance.

"Exactly. OK, you both can go about your business now" she said. "Next time boys, do be more careful, please! Things could have turn very nasty indeed" 

"What-" James began asking but Remus silenced him until they were out of the hospital wing.

"I think…" said Remus "Madam Pomfrey is the best informed person in the whole castle and does not let any of it past her"

Sirius looked slightly alarmed "What, she knows that we-?" he looked at James, completing the unfinished question.

"She might know, but she won't tell any of it. She never does, does she? No matter how strange or unusual the ailment or charm is, she never asks any questions. I don't even think she really cares"

*

Remus spent the following weeks in the library, even lunch times and dinner. He sometimes sneaked food and ate there, carefully hiding this fact from the librarian. His three friends encouraged him to forget about what had happened, mainly because Sirius was perfectly fine now and the next moon proved to be completely normal, but Remus wouldn't let it go. He wanted to know why the wolf had attacked Sirius, because he had the most funny feeling that the incident with Snape had little to do with it.

One rainy Saturday afternoon, when most of the school was at Hogsmeade, Remus entered the common room with a gigantic book in his hands. Early that morning, Sirius and Peter had claimed that they were too short on sweets and tricks from Zonko's so they had left for Hogsmeade early that day, leaving James with his girlfriend Lily and Remus buried in his books.

Remus was barely acknowledging the fact that he was actually walking until the moment he bumped headlong into James.

"What the- Oh sorry, James. I didn't realize…" he looked around him "I had left the library" he said, a little confused as to how exactly was it that he ended up in the common room without noticing

"The expression 'bury yourself in a book' really turns into something real with you, doesn't it?" smirked James. "What's so interesting, anyway?" he asked as he sat down next to Remus. 

"Where's Lily?"

"Anna Lockley broke up with the Ravenclaw 7th year. She's trying to stop the girl from cursing the boy into oblivion. What's so interesting?"

"Uumm… this" he handed the book to James after a moment's indecision, and pointed to a specific passage for James to read.

James read it once, opened his eyes wide and read it again just to check if he hadn't gone mad.

"So… your attack on Sirius…"

"Might have been a try of… claiming him… that Padfoot failed to interpret and went awry. Padfoot's the closest thing the-" he looked at a couple of girls playing chess in a corner and at some 4th years doing homework on some far corner of the common room and lowered his voice. " He's the closest thing the wolf has to someone of the same species. I know, I know, Sirius' not a wolf but they're related, dogs descend from wolves, anyway… Short ago, the wolf got a pack… maybe he's looking for a mate… Common wolves reach sexual maturity at two, and I'm nearly 17… according to that book, some werewolves have found mates even earlier than me"

"Enough with the damn wolf" whispered James back, exasperated at the natural science lesson "How about Remus?" blank stare "How do you feel? Do you fancy anyone?" he lowered his voice even more "Do you fancy Sirius?"

Remus was going to answer a pretty loud 'no!' but the image of himself on top of Sirius a week after the Snape incident came rushing back to his mind. He stared at the open book in James' hands as if it had all the answers in it. He looked up at a smirking James "I really have no idea what to answer you"

"Well-" began James in a tone that he only used when planning a mischief. Unfortunately, in that very same moment, Sirius and Peter returned form Hogsmeade. Remus hastily told James to leave out of the conversation the wolf's attempt to claim Padfoot.

Sirius and Peter saw James and Remus in a big armchair near the fire and walked to them, dropping at their feet tons of HoneyDukes sweets and Zonko's treats.

"Well there you have" said Sirius with a big smile "We both got all soaking wet to bring you sweets and treats because one doesn't felt like getting wet and the other is in love with books"

"I hardly think going through the HoneyDukes passage qualifies as getting 'soaking wet'" said James.

"Whatever" dismissed Sirius and he looked at Remus "You look like crap" stated Sirius, while Peter and him sat on the armchair in front of them and unwrapped chocolate frogs.

James and Remus showed them the book, merely saying that the wolf though it was time to get a mate. 

"So what does it have to do with Sirius?" asked Peter, now munching on a Fizzing Whizbees.

Remus looked at James for help. "Common wolves fight for the leadership of the group and the eventual mate. Maybe he thought Sirius was a rival"

Sirius hadn't said a word, but when James said this he nailed his eyes on Remus in a very uncomfortable way. Moony looked back almost apologetically. 

"So, do you like anyone?" continued Peter, waggling his eyebrows

"No" he hastily answered "I can't think of anyone. And even if I did it's not that simple. Werewolves mate for life, and I'm 16"

When a silence ensued in the group, Sirius excused himself, claimed he was too tired, and went up to the dorm room.

Remus frowned and made a motion as if to follow him but James stopped him "Better leave him be for today"

*

Next day, an incredibly sunny day, Remus woke up to the shout of "Quidditch practice day!" from Captain James Potter himself. The previous day had been so rainy they had had to cancel practice, but James wasn't going to let it slip today.

He tried to coax his friend into coming with him, but all three shouted it was 'too bloody early for a Sunday'. Sirius event attempted to tell James to shut up and let him sleep or he'd shove his broomstick up somewhere, but two well-placed pillows from Peter and Remus stopped him.

About three hours later, near mid-morning, Remus got up to an empty dorm room. He got dressed and climbed down to the common room, where he found Sirius amazingly engrossed in an essay.

"You, doing an essay on Sunday?" he mocked "Were you bored?" Sirius didn't answer. In fact, he didn't even acknowledge Remus' presence. "Sirius..." he poked him. Still no answer "Siri, what's the matter?"

"I have to finish this essay, would you please let me?" he said in an unusually stern voice

Remus was taken aback. Instead of uselessly trying to get something from him he got out of the common room, where he met Peter.

"Hey Pete. James' still in practice?"

"Just finished, but he's probably still there. What's up?"

"Sirius isn't talking to me"

"So you're going to the encyclopedia?" Remus chuckled at the nickname Peter and himself had developed for James. The three boys knew Sirius well, but no one beat James at figuring Padfoot out. When James and Sirius found this out, Sirius laughed himself silly for a whole of 5 minutes while James tried to be angry, but failed.

"Where else? Where're you going?"

"Kitchen raid. I'm hungry" he said grinning.

Remus found James mid-way through the Quidditch pitch, already having taken care of the team and his broom. He was hand in hand with Lily. Remus hated it, but he had to talk alone with James.

"Hey Moony. Woke up from the beauty sleep?"

"Ha. Hey Lily" smiled Remus and then he looked back at James "Can we take a walk?" he asked, subtly eyeing Lily.

"I suppose." 

"Anything wrong?" asked Lily out of concern.

"Sirius isn't talking to me. Not even acknowledging my existence" he said as if that explained everything. And it did.

"Oh I see." Lily smiled kindly at Remus "I'll leave the encyclopedia all to you, then. Good luck"

"Thanks, Lil. Owe you one"

Lily waved her hand in the air as she walked to the castle doors, signaling he owed her nothing.

Remus told James what happened, but for once, James had no answer. "I'm sorry Rem. I've no idea. He seemed all right this morning. He can't have taken offense on what we said about the wolf and Padfoot" said James as they walked along the outer rim of the Forbidden Forest "He forgave you even before you asked for forgiveness so that's out of the question."

Remus was in deep thought. He couldn't take the day they had made up from his mind. What if that had something to do with it? He decided he was going to be honest with James, it was the least he deserved.

"Knut for your thoughts, Moony"

"I'm not being completely honest with you, James"

"Oh?" Remus told him how he had ended up on top of Sirius and, had not been for him and Peter walking in, they'd had probably ended up kissing. By the end of it, James was smiling widely "Who would have thought…"

"I swear, if you're going to start mocking me, I'm putting a memory charm on you"

"Easy, easy. I'm not." He said chuckling, not being able to take the grin of his face.

"Stop grinning like a madman, will you? So?"

"So what?" he said 'innocently'.

"James!"

"Alright, alright. Geez… Sirius hasn't told me any of this, so I'm only speculating here, mind you, but… the way you told it, he didn't seem disgusted about the whole situation. Have you even stop to consider the possibility he might return your feelings and the whole 'rival' thing offended him?" he said this very serious.

"That's insane, you know Sirius' a ladies man. He can't-" He cut himself short "I mean, I've no feelings for Sirius" he turned to look at James, who was awkwardly serious but frowning "I mean I do, but not the… kind you got for Lily, so… that's… out of the question"

James started to laugh, raising his eyes to the heavens and muttering under his breath 'Why did you give me such stupid friends?'

"I heard that!" exclaimed Remus.

"Well much better!" scolded James, still grinning, but with a strong voice. "Moony… you're head over heels for him" Remus avoided James' eyes "Where do you think that half arsed attempt at claiming Sirius came from?"

"Padfoot!" he pointed.

"Whatever, it's the same person and you know it! Don't give me this double identity crisis crap"

Remus was about to answer when an owl landed in front of James and Remus, stretching his leg so one of them would take the small note from it.

"It's from Peter" said James. "He tried talking to Sirius but he says he can't be arsed in coming all the way down here"

"Read already!" 

"Impatient, are we?" 

"James…"

James read. 

_Moony and Prongs, _

_I gave it a try and talked to Padfoot. I can't be arsed going all the way down there or searching the whole castle for you, so I tried the easy way._

_Let's see what you can figure out from this, because I certainly can't. He said something about Moony forgetting something very nice and Moony not realizing something very obvious. He muttered something about his existence, too. I think he's off his rocker. Refused to tell me anything else or make a civilized conversation. He's very pissed off, you should have seen the state he left his quill…_

_Greetings, Wormtail_

"Well, there you got it. He fancies you"

"Don't make it up. Sounds to me Peter's right, he's off his rocker. How can you know?"

"Because I'm the British Black Encyclopedia" Remus chuckled involuntarily "At least talk to him. I'm not saying you make out right now."

"James!" said Remus, slightly annoyed. James only answered by grinning back. You would've thought his birthday had come earlier "Alright. But I'm doing it only for you. It's the second time this year you work as a peacemaker"

"Thank you" he took a long bow and then pushed Remus in the direction of the castle.

*

Sirius was still working on his essays when they got back to the common room.

"Pete!" called James as he and Remus entered the Gryffindor-colored room. "Kitchen raid!"

"I just had- Oh!" Peter eyed Remus "Love to"

Both boys exited the common room. Remus took a look around. Sirius hadn't moved from his spot, and as Remus peeked, he had done very little of his essay. "Sirius?" no answer "Can we talk?"

"I'm busy" he said coldly.

"It won't take long" he said almost pleadingly

"It'll have to wait"

"Just five minutes, dorm room" 

"I said I'm busy"

"Well… either you walk to the dorm room to talk to me for five bloody minutes or I'll use all that strength you _know_ I have and _carry_ you there. Your choice"

Sirius let an angry puff and pushed his chair back. He took long strolls and entered the dorm room. 

'Well, at least I got him here' thought Remus to himself as Sirius sat in his bed, waiting. 'Problem is, how the hell am I going to start now'

"Well?" he snapped.

"Why are you angry at me?" 

Sirius only let out a 'hmmph!'

"Did I do something?"

Another 'hmmph!'

Remus sat down in his own bed, facing Sirius. How could someone be so bloody stubborn, he thought "If you are angry at me, fine. Hell, if you want to kill me, it's also fine. But this is the second time this year we put James and Peter and even Lily between us. It's not fair to them. James was extremely nice down there when he was talking to me, but you and I both know how much he worries when we fight." He made a pause, letting the words sink in. "Now what the hell is up with you?"

"You're asking me? You really think I bought that story about the wolf thinking me a rival?" Remus' face drop. Sirius had read the wolf. He knew what the wolf wanted to do. _Damn it_, he said to himself, _face it Lupin, what **you** wanted to do_. So Sirius wasn't angry, he was disgusted "I know you better and you know me better. Tell me the truth." He demanded, his eyes never leaving Remus' face.

"The- the wolf never thought you a rival. He… A little over a year ago, the wolf got a pack, the first one of his entire life. He probably thinks it's time to move on. He wants a mate. He wanted to claim you" he said this last phrase in a low voice, almost whispered. He lowered his head, fearing how Sirius would take these words.

A flitted, dreamy smile crossed Sirius' face but it vanished instantly. "So. You're looking for a mate. And you can't think of anyone." The trace of sarcasm was so evident it made Remus look up to him "You an I both know what would have happened that day if James and Peter hadn't come in"

"'Would have', Sirius. 'would have'. The fact is they did come in, the fact is that nothing happened. The fact is, I have no idea what to think! We never talked about it"

"No, because you refused to speak about it, you've damn well ignored it. You've had your nose buried in those books"

"Well, pardon me if in the meantime I nearly killed you and wanted to find out why"

"Funny, as they seem to be related. You're so thick you've no idea what the wolf realized probably months ago and you didn't."

"And what might that be?"

"I'm not going to tell you if you insist or keeping your eyes shut"

"God, you're impossible!" Remus burst out. He stood up and turned to leave. How could Sirius be so blind, he nearly killed him, he wanted to find out why. And he has no idea how Sirius feels, what's he going to do, just walk in to the dorm room one day, say 'good morning, love' and kiss him in the mouth?

He felt a hand on his arm. "You're not leaving me here"

"Five minutes are over. I don't want to talk to you right now, I'm so angry I might screw up things even more" he tried to release his arm from Sirius' grip on it, but Sirius only pulled him closer.

"You really need to hear to the wolf's voice a little more, Remus. He's all instincts. He realized what I feel for you, why do you think he tried to claim me?"

"That makes no sense. I nearly killed you"

"I got bloody scared. We had never talked about it. I recoiled, he got mad. It's so simple and we make it so complicated"

Remus breathed heavily, letting the air in and out, in and out. This can't be true. He hadn't even dared to dream this in his wildest and most private dreams. "Let me go… I- I need to think"

Sirius released his arm. "Fine. Think" and before Remus couldn't even turn around, Sirius took his head in his hands and kissed him with the most blissful of kisses.

It was suddenly as if two people were fighting inside Remus' head. The rational Remus wanted to stop the kiss, to think what consequences it would bring, to read about it on books. The wolf wanted to deepen the kiss, to kiss Sirius back as he had done so many times in dreams Remus had refused to acknowledge. The wolf wanted to grab Sirius, kiss him all over his body until the claim had been complete and Sirius thought that Remus' arms was the most perfect place in the whole world.

Of course, the wolf won. Remus surrendered to the feeling as Sirius began exploring Remus' mouth. His arms surrounded the other boy's waist as he let himself go. It felt so perfect, to be there. So _right_.

When they parted for air, foreheads still pressed together, Sirius whispered to him in a playful tone "I'm glad Jamsie-boy and Pete did not come in this time" he smiled

Remus chuckled and kissed Sirius again.

Sirius dragged Remus to his bed, promising only some snogging and no claiming in public places. The laid in bed, holding each other, silent for some minutes until Sirius talked.

"Remus?"

"Hmm?" he breathed into the scent of Sirius. It all felt so perfect.

"I'm not afraid anymore"

"What?" he turned his head to look at Sirius.

"How's the claim done?"

"As a rule, in private and with the curtains drawn" he smiled to Sirius' chest, which moved up and down quickly as its owner laughed. "Overnight, and passionate. It usually just happens. It's not planned, nor expect, nor talked about. Just… felt, I guess. Most people say both the wolf and the mate feel it when it happens."

"So…" mischief ruled Sirius' voice "If I were to invite you to my bed tonight, and we prepared everything and cast silencing charms and charms to keep James and Peter way from the bed, it would not be the claiming?"

"Who knows. It might. We'll have to try" mischief and lust, all rolled into one also ruled Remus' voice.

"Hey" Sirius' voice changed "Was James too worried?"

With this, Remus remembered there were other people in the world besides Sirius. "He didn't show it to me, but knowing him, yes"

"We should tell him" Sirius narrowed his eyes as he helped Remus up from the bed. He smiled widely "And you should leave it to me"

After consulting the Marauder's map, they found James and Peter with Lily on their way to the great hall (it was nearly lunchtime)

Sirius had instructed Remus on 'follow my lead' and look very somber. Leading people the wrong way was his specialty.

"Guys!" said James cheerfully, but upon seeing their faces dropped the cheerfulness "Wow, do you look like hell. What happened?"

"We're fine." Sirius said with the same tone that he would announce someone's death "I mean, we decide to call a truce. We've… we're not doing ok."

Remus took over the act "We noticed we've been fighting a lot lately. We've no idea where're we going to end, so we decided on a truce" Peter looked flabbergasted, James looked like if his worst nightmare had come true and Lily looked ready to cry. "Just for you three, we decided to call a truce and stop the bickering"

James was speechless. Could it be that his best friends' friendship was going to end? Lily spoke for him "Well… that's good, it's good that you decided to stop the… the fighting" she smiled politely, but would have burst to tears easily. She had become so close to the marauders, they all considered her one more.

"Yes" piped in Peter "It's really awful to see you fight"

"Well…" Sirius said while he looked 'uncomfortably' to the floor and Remus stared at the ceiling pensively, both performing their acts expertly "I'll be going to lunch"

Remus followed him not very far behind, leaving three very disturbed Gryffindors behind. 

It was hell, thought James. This can not be happening. Sirius and Remus' friendship can not be that damaged. Sure, they fought a couple of times this year, but it had not been that bad… had it?

Before any of them could say a word, Sirius turned around and faced his three friends again, mischief in his eyes. "Oh, James?"

"Y-yeah?"

"How do you cast a silencing charm?" he asked, genuine curiosity in his voice.

"You- you mutter silencius to the room. Why?"

Sirius smiled widely and took Remus' ready hand in his, staring into those hazel eyes before speaking again "Oh nothing. Only that Remus and I will be needing one tonight"

He and Remus laughed good naturedly at their slowly understanding friends, and started walking in the Great hall's direction.

"Black and Lupin!" bellowed James while Lily smiled widely at them "You will wait there! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" he strolled in their direction. Lily and Peter laughed behind him.

Sirius and Remus stopped in their track and whirled around to face James, now merely some inches behind them. "So?" asked Remus smiling.

"So? So? So, he says! I. Do. Not. Like. To. Receive. That. Kind. Of. Surprise!" He trailed.

"We wanted to give you a little surprise" said Remus smiling, quoting James in the Shrieking Shack a year before "Come on Potter, admit it… you liked it." He said, trailing the 'i' of the 'liked' and squinting.

James couldn't help but smile at his friend as he recognized where Remus was quoting who from "Best damn surprise of my life" he smiled widely "But if you ever do it again, I'll kill you!" he bellowed, feigning an anger that didn't reach his eyes.

"I'm sure, Jamie" said Sirius, patting his friend's back "Of course" he mocked, as they entered the Great Hall.

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End file.
